Driver charged in Johnny Gaudreau’s death is a Drexel grad who works for a Pennsylvania drug rehab firm

The driver charged with killing National Hockey League star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, is a Drexel University graduate and an officer in the Army National Guard who until recently worked at an addiction services provider in Pennsylvania.

News of Thursday’s fatal crash shocked the NHL world and left residents shaken in the Gaudreaus’ native Salem County, where Johnny Gaudreau had returned to attend his sister’s wedding. Grieving fans erected memorials for the all-star left wing along Pennsville Auburn Road, where he and his brother were killed, as well as in Canada, where he had built his pro career for the Calgary Flames since 2011.

The case has also brought scrutiny on the alleged driver, 43-year-old Sean Higgins, who has long-standing ties to the Philadelphia region.

Higgins, of Woodstown, most recently worked as a financial director at Gaudenzia, a treatment provider with multiple locations in Pennsylvania, according to his LinkedIn profile. Gaudenzia said Higgins has been placed on leave.

“We received the heartbreaking news regarding the tragic crash that took the lives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, along with the charges brought against Sean Higgins,” the company said in a statement. “We extend our sympathies to the Gaudreau family during this incredibly difficult time.”

Around 8 p.m. on Thursday, the Gaudreau brothers were biking on County Route 551 in Oldmans Township, a day before they were to be groomsmen at their sister’s wedding. While attempting to pass two other vehicles, Higgins veered his black Jeep Grand Cherokee into the bicyclists, striking them from behind.

An attorney for Higgins could not be reached for comment. Reached by phone Tuesday, Higgins’ mother, Elaine Higgins, said the family has received death threats and described the crash as a “pure accident.”

“He’s an honorable man, he’s not a monster,” she said. “I’m not just saying that because I’m his mother.”

Sean Higgins told state troopers he drank five or six beers before getting behind the wheel that night, and officers who spoke with him on the scene detected the “strong odor” of alcohol, according to the probable cause affidavit for his arrest. He faces two counts of vehicular homicide, among other offenses.

Higgins appeared at a virtual court hearing Friday from the Salem County Correctional Facility, his expression visibly stunned when the judge remanded him to an additional week in jail. His next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

“So … I’m here until Thursday?” Higgins, wearing a dark-green Velcro vest, asked the judge.

The incarcerated driver was represented by a public defender but told the court he planned to hire a private attorney. It was not clear whether he had done so as of Tuesday. His family declined to comment further on the case, citing fears for their safety.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Higgins graduated with a master’s degree in business from Rutgers University in 2015 and earned his bachelor’s from Drexel in 2004.

Since 2008, he has served in the U.S. Army National Guard in New Jersey. His 16-year military career included numerous operational roles, serving as a brigade fire support officer, battery commander, and an officer in Kosovo, according to his online resume. NJ.com reportedly confirmed Higgins’ service record.

“We are profoundly saddened by this tragedy,” Col. Yvonne L. Mays, acting adjutant general of New Jersey, said in a statement to the publication. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected, and we share in the grief of the Gaudreau family.”

Higgins’ social media presence is limited to pictures with family, including two young girls. He faces up to 10 years in state prison if convicted, according to the judge at his Friday hearing.